Wine Tastings, Silent Auction to Enhance Gala Concert

Salisbury Singers will perform famous choruses from Carmen, La Traviata,  Lucia di Lammermoor and more at “A Night at the Opera,” also featuring complimentary wine tastings and a silent auction, on Saturday, May 15 at 7 p.m. at the First Unitarian Church, 90 Main St., Worcester.

Tickets are $20, $18 senior citizens and students, and may be purchased online at www.salisburysingers.org or by calling 508-799-3848. Proceeds support the nonprofit chorus, which has been providing a musical outlet for Central Massachusetts residents since 1973.

“We’re very excited about the performance and fundraiser and hope that the popular program will draw new audiences,” said Marieke Peleman, a Salisbury Singers Inc. board member who lives in Holden. “The size of the chorus and high quality of its performances make Salisbury Singers a cultural force in Central Massachusetts.”

Fifty singers will be joined by four renowned professional soloists: soprano Andrea Matthews, mezzo-soprano Gale Fuller, tenor Ray Bauwens and baritone John Whittlesey. Michelle Graveline, Salisbury Singers’ music director, will take the podium, with Christopher Walters assisting and Lynne La Comfora accompanying on piano.

The evening will also feature a silent auction featuring fine wine, jewelry, handcraft furniture, pottery and crystal, dining gift certificates, Patriots tickets, a Worcester Art Museum membership and more. Enjoy a private, guided nature hike up Mt. Wachusett, a visit to Tower Hill Botanic Garden, tickets to the Boston Symphony Orchestra, a color consulting and decorating session, fitness training, and a spa gift set. Bidding begins at 6:30 p.m. Preview auction items on the Web at http://www.salisburysingers.org.

During an extended intermission, audience members will be invited to taste a variety of wines courtesy of O’Hara’s Wine and Liquors, 402 West Boylston St., Worcester. Owner Jim Vasiliadis will be pouring an Argentinian malbec, a German riesling, a California cabernet and red zinfandel, a Bordeaux  blanc and perhaps a couple of sparkling wines. He said he is eager to introduce an Australian sparkling shiraz that received rave reviews at a recent wine dinner he hosted at the Webster House. Vasiliadis will provide a list of the wines, all available at his store, with special pricing for the Salisbury Singers’ audience.

“It’s a great partnership,” Vasiliadis said. “Any time something livens up the community — music, art or dance — it’s a great event.”

Plus, he added, “How often do you get to go out to the opera?”